Struggling Yankees outfielder sends four-word message about game-deciding mistake

The New York Yankees’ final game before the All-Star break sums up their current situation.

The Yankees trailed 3-2 heading into the ninth inning of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. Then rookie Ben Rice hit a three-run home run in the final inning, which seemed like the perfect way for New York to regain some momentum before the break.

Then came the collapse.

Shorter Clay Holmes allowed two walks and gave up a hit in the bottom of the ninth inning while recording two outs.

Gold Glove shortstop Anthony Volpe then missed a routine ground ball that should have ended the game, making it 5-4.

Holmes then got Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins to hit a lazy ball to left field. But Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo misread the ball by stepping in, then lost his footing when the ball went over his head, giving Baltimore a 6-5 walk-off victory.

Verdugo took full responsibility for the defeat after the match.

“It’s for me,” Verdugo told reporters after the game, according to YES Network.

Asked what caused him to lose his footing, Verdugo said: “I was just trying to make up for the ground I had lost.

“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to make it happen,” he added.

Verdugo was also asked to evaluate the first half of his 2024 season.

“It started slowly, caught fire, hit a wall again. So it’s been up and down,” Verdugo replied.

“But I think overall, where the team is, the first half was really good.”

Given New York’s brutal downward spiral over the past month, it’s easy to forget that they still boast the fourth-best winning percentage in baseball.

The Yankees were one out away from completing a three-game sweep of the team they’re battling for the lead in the American League East. And instead of heading into the All-Star break with a one-game advantage over Baltimore, they now trail by that deficit. It’s a promising sign that New York won the series, but a sweep was more than necessary given the month of depression they’ve endured.